< UNahume 2 >

1 Umhlaseli uyasondela kuwe, Nineve. Vikela inqaba, linda umgwaqo, zilungiselele, qoqa wonke amandla akho!
Come up hath a scatterer to thy face, Keep the bulwark, watch the way, Strengthen the loins, strengthen power mightily.
2 UThixo uzabuyisela ubuhle bukaJakhobe njengobuhle buka-Israyeli, lanxa abachithi bebaqothule batshabalalisa lezivini zabo.
For turned back hath Jehovah to the excellency of Jacob, As [to] the excellency of Israel, For emptied them out have emptiers, And their branches they have marred.
3 Amahawu amabutho akhe abomvu, amabutho agqoke okubomvu gebhu. Insimbi ezinqoleni zempi iyaphazima ngosuku ezilungiselwe ngalo; imikhonto yesihlahla sephayini iyazunguzwa.
The shield of his mighty ones is become red, Men of might [are in] scarlet, With fiery torches [is] the chariot in a day of his preparation, And the firs have been caused to tremble.
4 Izinqola zempi zihlasela ngesiqubu emigwaqweni, zisiya emuva laphambili ezigcawini. Zinjengezibane ezikhanyisiweyo; ziyaphaziphazima njengombane.
In out-places shine do the chariots, They go to and fro in broad places, Their appearances [are] like torches, As lightnings they run.
5 Ubiza amabutho akhe akhethiweyo kodwa ayakhubeka endleleni yawo. Agijimela emdulini wedolobho; isivikelo silungiswe.
He doth remember his honourable ones, They stumble in their goings, They hasten [to] its wall, and prepared is the covering.
6 Amasango omfula ayavulwa, indlu yobukhosi ibhidlike.
Gates of the rivers have been opened, And the palace is dissolved.
7 Kumiswe ukuthi idolobho lizathunjwa, abantu balo basiwe ebugqilini. Izintombi zalo eziyizigqili zikhala njengamajuba zizitshaya amabele azo.
And it is established — she hath removed, She hath been brought up, And her handmaids are leading as the voice of doves, Tabering on their hearts.
8 INiniva injengesiziba, njalo amanzi aso ageleza ehamba. Bayaklabalala besithi, “Mana! Mana!” Kodwa kakho onyemukulayo.
And Nineveh [is] as a pool of waters, From of old it [is] — and they are fleeing! 'Stand ye, stand;' and none is turning!
9 Phangani isiliva! Phangani igolide! Umthapho kawupheli, inotho evela eziphaleni zayo zonke!
Seize ye silver, seize ye gold, And there is no end to the prepared things, [To] the abundance of all desirable vessels.
10 Ibhuqiwe, iphangiwe, iphundliwe! Inhliziyo ziphela amandla, amadolo ayaxega, imizimba iyaqhaqhazela, ubuso bonke bunyukubele.
She is empty, yea, emptiness and waste, And the heart hath melted, And the knees have smitten together, And great pain [is] in all loins, And the faces of all of them have gathered paleness.
11 Khathesi-ke ungaphi umhome wezilwane, lapho ezinikela khona abantwana bazo ukudla, lapho okwaya khona isilwane lesilwanekazi, kanye lemidlwane, kungekho lutho olwesatshwayo na?
Where [is] the habitation of lionesses? And a feeding-place it [is] for young lions Where walked hath a lion, an old lion, A lion's whelp, and there is none troubling.
12 Isilwane sibulalele imidlwane yaso okwaneleyo sabambela lesilwanekazi saso okwenyama yokudliwa, sagcwalisa isikhundla saso ngesikujimbileyo lomhome waso ngenyama.
The lion is tearing parts [for] his whelps, And is strangling for his lionesses, And he doth fill [with] prey his holes, And his habitations [with] rapine.
13 “Ngimelane lawe,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla. “Ngizazitshisa izinqola zakho zempi zibe yintuthu; lenkemba izakudla izilwane zakho ezisakhulayo. Kangiyikukutshiyela ongakubamba ukudle njengenyama emhlabeni. Amazwi ezithunywa zakho kawasayikuzwakala futhi.”
Lo, I [am] against thee, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts, And I have burned in smoke its chariot, And thy young lions consume doth a sword, And I have cut off from the land thy prey, And not heard any more is the voice of thy messengers!

< UNahume 2 >